Toxicoscordion nuttallii

I had the opportunity to venture out to the Konza Prairie this past weekend to look for wildflowers, and the most numerous was the Nuttall’s Death-camus. As its name suggests, all parts of the plant are toxic to plants and livestock. It is a bulb that resembles an onion a bit, which is what might create problems. It is also called a death onion.

The Death-camus is one of the first plants to sprout in the spring. It apparently blooms in May and June, but these may have gotten an early start due to the sporadic unseasonably warm weather this spring. It is a prairie flower found across the grasslands of North America.

There is one species that seeks it out, the moth Eupithecia zygadeniata. The larvae eat the flowers, and scientists believe this helps control the plant’s spread.

It’s a beautiful flower, and seeing numerous flowers blooming across the prairie was quite stunning. Knowing what it is, now, I will be giving it a wide berth.

Quercus macrocarpa
 
Burr Oaks are my new favorite Oak Tree. I was introduced to them when I moved to Kansas. They are big, branchy, and beautiful! They have large, stereotypical oak-shaped leaves, and big, round acorns with a fringed cap.

It is an eastern oak, but it is tolerant of a number of climates, allowing it to spread further north and west than any other eastern oak species. It provided aid to European/American settlers by providing wood to make wagon repairs. They should have included that in Oregon Trail: “Repair your wagon wheels with Burr Oak wood before Grandma dies of dysentery.”

The acorns provide food for a large number of species, and based on the massive size of the Eastern Fox Squirrels I see eating them in my neighborhood, I would guess they are rather nutritious.
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Their leaves are all yellowing and falling now, since they are a deciduous species. I can’t wait to see them leaf out again in spring!

​Quercus lobata

The Valley Oak is rather unique in California because it is deciduous. It also has lobe-shaped leaves that are what people traditionally think of as the oak leaf shape. It also gets very large and is quite picturesque.  

Valley Oaks are critical to two ecosystems: the Valley Oak Woodland and the Valley Oak Riparian Woodlands. Few woodlands remain as they have been plowed for agriculture. Riparian woodlands provide habitats for 67 bird species, more than any other California biome. Several threatened species also rely on this habitat, including Swainson’s Hawks, Yellow-Billed Cuckoo, Elderberry Longhorn Beetle, and the elusive Ringtail. These trees also provide homes for many cavity-nesting species and food for deer, rabbits, and rodents, and the large acorns are favorites of squirrels and acorn woodpeckers.

The Valley Oak is found in mostly temperate zones in California as far south as Malibu Creek Park. That is literally as far south as it goes. It shares the park with Coast Live Oaks and Shrub Oaks, so it is an oak-lover's paradise! Unfortunately, the Valley Oaks in the Santa Monica Mountains are not doing well. The USDA is monitoring them to evaluate their health and determine why they are ailing.
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If you encounter a Valley Oak, give its wide trunk a big hug!

Quercus berberidifolia

Some might consider Scrub Oak the least attractive oak on my list, but it provides food for birds, butterflies, and deer, and is super resilient! It is more shrub-shaped than tree-shaped, but if you have one in your yard, you can remove the lower branches to reveal the trunk.

Like other Oaks, it produces acorns. The Scrub Oaks’ acorns are tiny and round. You can also often find galls on these oaks. These are round, brown growths that are produced when certain species of wasps lay their eggs in the stem. Scrub Oaks are also a host plant for a number of butterflies and wasps, including one of my favorites, the California Sister!

California Scrub Oaks grow in coastal mountain ranges, inland valleys, and foothills. It is an evergreen, so in the fall and winter, when other parts of the world are brown, California retains some green, thanks in part to this versatile Oak!

This week, the focus will be Oak Trees! They are so beautiful and gnarled and live a long time. They provide habitats for so many species and food for many others. There are a wide variety across the US and they are all special in their own way. Stay tuned for more on these amazing trees! 

Maclura pomifera

I had never seen or even heard of a Hedge Apple until I moved to Kansas. I was with the birding group and kept seeing these round things on the ground. I thought they might be something similar to oak galls. When I asked what they were, people looked at me, confused, and said they were Hedge Apples. Hadn’t I ever seen one before? Well, no. 

The fruits aren’t edible, but apparently get quite large, about five inches across, and could seriously injure you should they fall on your head. Apparently, other than squirrels, most wildlife doesn’t particularly care for them. The ones I was seeing on the ground were brown, obviously old. Someone pointed out some that were growing on the tree along the road. This was summer, so they were still small. They mature in the fall. Some people do use them for decorations or to repel insects, and there has been some evidence that they do.

The tree is in the mulberry family and is native to the South and Central United States. The places I have seen them are probably described as hedgerows by the English – along the road and next to sidewalks. This is probably because they have spines and have been used as security fences. There are male and female plants, but I don’t know what a male looks like since I only know how to identify them by their fruit.

I want to learn more about these strange trees before next fall. I might even see if they really can repel insects!

Malacothrix saxatilis
 
Hiking around Southern California this time of year can be a bit of a bummer. It’s finally cooled off enough to go back outside (maybe), and everything is brown. All the wildflowers are long gone.

And then, growing out of the driest, rockiest soil, is a little white flower. The Cliff Aster is one hardy plant. It’s not much to look at, being tall and spindly, but it is one of the only flowers that will still bloom in the late summer through winter. Every time I see one, I think I need to be more like Cliff Aster, thriving in even the harshest conditions.

Some Cliff Aster facts: they are endemic to California and are not found above 6,000 ft. They are members of the sunflower family and provide a nectar oasis for pollinators during the dry season. 

They may not be the flashiest wildflower, but they are this time of year. Their white petals, yellow center, and purplish tint on their underside always remind me that the earth is still alive even when everything appears brown and dead. It is a tiny flower of hope.

To sum up, Cliff Asters are resilient and inspire hope. I want to be more like Cliff Aster.
 

​Diplacus aurantiacus

Sticky Monkey Flowers were one of the first wildflowers I learned how to identify. They are so named because the flower supposedly looks like a monkey’s face, and its leaves produce a sticky resin, so if you aren’t sure, feel its leaves.  

It is an early bloomer, usually appearing in March. The most common varieties are yellow to orangish, but if you know where to look, you can also find red flowers. The photo included is one I took of a plant that had both!

They grow in drier ecosystems and are drought-tolerant, so even in low-flower years, you can still find Monkey Flowers.

I would include them amongst my favorite species to find. They are shrubs, so sometimes you can be lucky and spot a giant bush in bloom. Their smiling flowers make me happy and, as much as I abhor being sticky, even their tacky leaves bring me joy.
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My writing about them does not do them justice, so here are a bunch of photos for your perusal. 

​Mimosa quadrivalvus
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I learned about this plant on a prairie wildflower walk. It has adorable pink, pom-pom flowers, and when touched or blown by the wind, its leaves fold up. Here is a video of that happening. It’s another example of how awesome nature is.
 
I thought it was called cat’s paw because of the flowers, but it is actually catclaw because the briars are shaped like, well, cat claws. If you see it in a garden center, it might also be called “pink sparkle,” which suits it perfectly. It is related to the mimosa tree, with which you might be more familiar.
 
It is a relatively common prairie flower that is a legume, so related to peas and beans. However, if an area is over-grazed, it won’t grow, making it an indicator of a healthy grassland.
 
It is always fun to learn a new wildflower, especially one that does magic tricks!

Eriogonum fasciculatum

Earlier this week, I wrote about how everything in Southern California turns brown in the summer. Of course, there are always exceptions, and the hearty California Buckwheat is one.

This scrubby evergreen shrub can bloom from May through November. Its clusters of white to pink flowers are always a welcome sight on a hike. Luckily, they are quite prolific throughout the Santa Monica Mountains and much of Southern California. Even after the flowers have bloomed, the heads turn into a lovely deep rust color.

You’d also be hard-pressed to find a blooming California Buckwheat plant not absolutely teaming with bees. Apparently, the nectar produces a rather exquisite honey. However, don’t try to make pancakes from them. According to Nancy Dale in Flowering Plants, The Santa Monica Mountains, Coastal & Chaparral Regions of Southern California, “Even though the buckwheat of flour fame belongs to the same family, an attempt to make anything palatable of this plant is probably doomed to failure.”
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Blooming California Buckwheat is a great excuse to head out on the trails in Southern California in the summer and fall!